What's Old Is New Again

Reducing plastic usage and conserving water are two imperative things we must do to help the environment. Reusable shopping bags help eliminate non-biodegradable plastic bags from ending up in the ocean, and taking shorter showers and turning off the water when brushing your teeth helps conserve water. Bar shampoo is another simple idea that eliminates plastic and conserves water.

Bar shampoo is a solid bar of soap made specifically for hair using natural ingredients. It has been around for a long time and was commonly used before the invention of shampoo and conditioners in plastic bottles. J.R. Liggett,'s a producer of old-fashioned bar shampoo, has been in operation for over 30 years.

According to ethiquebeauty.com, a New Zealand eco-conscious bar shampoo manufacturer, shampoo, bodywash and conditioner can be made up of up to 80% water. It doesn’t make sense to pay for water, and package it in plastic, when there already is water in the shower. So far, Ethique has prevented 50,000 bottles, jars and tubes from being made and disposed of. With their "Give Up the Bottle" program, they hope to reach 1 million by 2020.

Natural bar shampoos don’t contain harsh chemicals, which are not only bad for you and your hair, but for the earth too. Many people find increased volume, faster growing hair, reduced dandruff and less frizz using bar shampoo. My daughter recently switched to bar shampoo and loves the experience of using it. “With my long hair, I can get a more accurate and even spread of the lather throughout my hair, and with the 100% natural ingredients, my hair has never been shinier. I feel really good about my impact on the environment.“

Bar shampoo is usually cheaper than bottle shampoo with some bars lasting 2 -3 months. It’s convenient for traveling or camping too!

Much of the country has been experiencing extended severe drought; scientists estimate by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. We must act now to help reverse these devastating trends. While this seems daunting and nearly impossible, reducing your plastic and water usage with bar shampoo is a simple yet impactful step towards that goal. What’s old is new again, and often better.

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About this Blog

Welcome to What’s Green with Betsy. Betsy Wild has been passionate about good health and protecting the environment since the early 1970s and is eager to share her knowledge. She is convinced that even the smallest change you make can make a big difference – for you, the earth and your pocketbook.

Betsy and her husband own several “green businesses” – Boston Tree Preservation, an organic based tree care company; Arborjet, which manufactures environmentally safer products and formulations for the control of exotic invasive insect pests; and their newest venture converting a 35-acre seaside cranberry farm in Sandwich to an organic tree/vegetable/herb farm.

Betsy currently write a green tips column for several on line newspaers and has a website both called What’s Green with Betsy.